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Norman Colbert
Norman Colbert was a Warrant Officer First Class within the Great Imperial Army who lived during the ERA 10's. A decorated war hero, Colbert was removed from the front lines to use his influence as part of the Propaganda Ministry to broadcast messages and instructions to the Imperial People. Despite likely perishing in the Dusk War, his voice ultimately led thousands of people to their deaths due to either exhaustion, starvation, sickness, and grief. Life Norman Colbert was born in ERA 10-01 and grew up in Redhugh, Central Country. Like many children, Norman was trained for his inevitable conscription from an early age. In his youth, Colbert was described by his peers as intelligent and charismatic, enough so that he was able to avoid being drafted for an extra two years. Colbert entered combat in ERA 10-22 as a rifleman as part of the 84th Land Army Division. He served with distinction during his time on the front lines, fighting against the United Forces during his guarding of the border running alongside the country of Causeway. He rose to prominence during the First Norzic-Imperial War, obtaining citations for bravery when his unit fought alongside the 1st Marine Division against the North Zician aggressors. Known for his iron will and unusually bright personality, Colbert quickly rose through the ranks, and made a name for himself back home with stories of his exploits. In ERA 10-25, Colbert was asked by the Imperial Government to leave the armed forces and become a broadcaster at the Ministry of Domestic Affairs, using his natural charisma to influence and instruct the people. Although reluctant, Colbert agreed. That same year, Colbert settled in the capital city of Paradisan in Central Country in order to begin his new career. Over the next three years, he was commissioned by the government to record a series of broadcasts which included news from the front lines, as well as work opportunities to those not fighting. Despite Colbert finding the work tedious, he enjoyed a celebrity lifestyle, and earned the nickname "Officer Advice". Final Broadcast In the early morning of the 22nd September ERA 10-28, Colbert entered the Ministry of Domestic Affairs building in central Paradisan. Across the empire, Imperial civilians woke up to the sound of Colbert's voice as he read the weekly news. "Our boys in the Marine Corps have yet again held their ground against UF commandos on Miles Island today. Let me tell you, you don't want to mess with the lads that took Yakalba; they could be standing barefoot on the side of a mountain made of soap and banana peels and you still wouldn't be able to move them an inch!" Colbert then went on to announce newly available work assignments. The Empire constantly required either experienced craftsmen and laborers, or skilled professionals and intellectuals for various projects within the country. That morning, Colbert informed the public of the planned building of a massive solar array near the town of Bahmborough, on the west coast of the Empire, that was to replace a series of fossil fuel power plants in the region. "We truly are in the future; power from the sun! And believe me, there is a lot of sun down in good old Bahmborough. And sea, and sand, and lovely beaches. It's a great opportunity to see our beautiful countryside; work on a cutting edge power-plant by day, obtaining potentially limitless energy from the sun's rays, and walk the white beaches with your family in the evening, enjoying the warm night air on your own strip of paradise!" Colbert, as well as informing the public of the location and how to be assigned, also described the benefits of the project. "Bahmborough is a beautiful place; the historic town feeds on a bounty of fish from the crystal clear water, as well as delicious fruits grown in the lush, green fields that encircle the quaint settlement. Your children can grow up carefree in wondrous surroundings as well as perfect security. Bahmborough could not be further away from the harshness of war; as well as being far from the reach of an invading army, the town is protected by a dedicated military force, committed to protect you and your loved ones. So, if you are willing to work, and willing to make the journey, paradise awaits!" As Colbert left the ministry to go to lunch with film star Lucy Grace, his most recent speech was transferred to the main broadcast server, where it could be rebroadcast throughout the week. At 11:59 AM, as Colbert sat down in an expensive cafe, a bomb was dropped from a Heartland jet tens of thousands of feet overhead. Soon after, the bomb exploded with an immense force, and the entire city was reduced to rubble in a flash of nuclear fire. 11 million people, including Warrant Officer Normam Colbert, died in an instant. Miles of urban sprawl, as well as the surrounding countryside, turned to ash. It was the second Supernuclear device ever activated by Heartland, and the level of devastation mirrored that seen in Solomon eight years before. After the Bomb Heartland continued their bombing campaign over the next half-century. Unwilling to come together to combat a common enemy, the Great Empire and the United Forces, along with every other nation, were wiped from the face of the earth. In the wasteland, the remainder of humanity recovered from the brink of extinction. In a world that was now a desolate landscape of ruined civilization, survivors fought over scarce supplies of food and power. Hundreds of years after the bomb, in the charred remains of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs, an ancient broadcast started up. Across the former empire, survivor groups, who used radio sets to communicate with one another, began to receive a strange, crackling broadcast. A comforting, upbeat voice appeared to describe paradise. He promised food, warmth and security in exchange for work in his power plant, and provided detailed instructions on how to get to there. This message, of course, was delivered by the long dead Norman Colbert. However, oblivious survivors saw this as a very real offer, and began to set out on journeys, sometimes tens of thousands of miles in length, towards Bahmborough. Any skepticism was dismissed by pure desperation; the survivors, barely living on scraps of food, and fighting off wild animals and rival tribes day and night, would do anything for the things promised by this charismatic voice. As a result, entire settlements started their journey to find this power station and this man. Those on the journey would have endured untold hardships, especially children and the elderly. Many would die of exhaustion on campaigns that lasted multiple years. Some, who left behind farms and ranches, would starve to death in the desolate wasteland. Others would be killed by sickness brought on by either the terrible living conditions, weather, or radiation. Worst of all, at the end of the trail, those who survived everything else would have to endure the worst ordeal; that the paradise didn't exist. Bahmborough was a ruin - its seas poisoned; its lush grassland blackened and arid, and its army base an abandoned wreck. Not even much shelter remained. Those that made it this far, who had often lost family and friends in pursuit of this nonexistent savior and his power plant, would be likely lost to grief; the final casualties of the death marches to find the paradise. Legacy The broadcast continued sporadically for many years, luring untold numbers of hopefully scavengers to their doom. The Solar Array, which promised a bright future for the Imperial People, was the cause of the demise of their ancestors. With their dying breaths, those that made the journey would curse the name of Norman Colbert, the charming deceiver who had killed far more in his job as a Propaganda speaker than as a soldier. Category:Dusk Timeline